Once Upon a December
by LittlestRoxas
Summary: What if after going through an abusive father; a horrible childhood had some ups and downs for Ivan Braginski? What if he DID fall in love; but to someone who had been his young, baby sister? Natalya Arlovskaya has been abused ever since the day she was born. He's protected her since the beginning, and now, she's the only one who can protect him. RusBel w/ CanUkr mentioned. OOC!
1. Two sunflowers, two suns, two stems

Natalya's love for her brother was_ impeccably_ strong. It flowed out of her like a burning whip; and with that whip she would force her love––intimately––upon her older brother, Ivan. It was continuous, and no matter what, it seemed their brother and sister relationship was nonexistence. Ivan must _always_ remind Natalya with petty whimpers as she corners him down that they are simply just that. Nothing more.

Starting at a young age, it seemed to expand from loving him to falling _in_ love with him. At first Ivan took nothing of it, how she would say she wants to marry her big brother. He even believed it to be just a particular stage in a female's life. Face it; girls are the most difficult creatures to understand. "It will pass; she just dreams she can be with big brother all the time." Ivan had once said, announcing it with a smile as others looked at the truth.

_**She was going to love him to the bone.**_

Natalya's a unique beauty with long silk platinum hair that draped down past her slender shoulders, and the most breathtaking crystal blue eyes seen yet. Although; they were more piercing and petrifying most times than not. Only those who were able to look past the emotionless expression can identify the true beauty hidden from the eyes of many. Even her personality was incredibly prominent, just as well as the lithe body of a ballerina she possesses. She could not be unnoticed for she was outstandingly perfect.

Her physique may look delicate however she was indeed sculpted; due to continuous training. It was a fact, she was not going to let anyone have him. She was both intimidating in personality and in appearance. How could she let herself become unsuitable for her brother? She was loyal, but that wasn't enough, was it?

She could wish for nothing more than to stand by his side. Natalya would cause death or even die to prove to her brother that her most inner feelings could match no others who had no relations to him. She was the perfect candidate. She had every qualifications that lined up what he was searching for. The only, and important, problem was that they are related. If it were any other way, then perhaps, just perhaps, she would have already been his and no one elses.

Yes, she knew how her older brother felt about this––seeing it as a predicament––nevertheless; she proceeded without any hesitation to convey her feelings to him.

She protected him. Loved him. That is where he could not comprehend.

Her name was Natalya Belarus Braginski. August 25th, 1916. 7 lbs 2 oz. The one to be considered a blessing to a family of one father, one mother, one daughter, and one son. Soon enough, to be seen as a curse. The risk of their mother's womb breaking during the delivery was high. Seventy percent chance she wouldn't make it.

Klavdiya Arlovskaya 1883-1916.

"She's a damn curse!" Was the only thing that came from their father's mouth, "A little insect that should live on to knowing how much of a mistake she was!"

Natalya Belarus _Arlovskaya_ was now her name. Three children, and no mother. Only one father who proceeded to alcohol was the answer to make sure he forgot about his dead wife. One father, one daughter, one son, and one mistake.

Though she had been seen to as a mistake by her father, Katyusha Ukraine Braginskaya saw her as an angel. A beautiful one that their mother had given up her life just for her to live.

Ivan Russia Braginski found his baby sister as a blessing. The key to not being the youngest of the family anyone; but the duty of an older brother now.

"You have to always protect her, _nyet matter what_, Vanya." A stern voice from the Ukrainian's mouth had told the three year old Russian boy.

After that; it seemed like a promise to little Ivan. He would never let his little Natya get hurt, go through suffering.. nor get married unless it had been his approval.

Ten, six, and three. Three years ever since their mother's passed, and little Natya was born. Katyusha was in the fifth grade, Ivan in first, and Natalya stayed home to a terrible father that refused to give her at least a piece of bread or a bottle of milk. She would sit there outside in the middle of blizzards in only a long sleeved dress and a little rag that Katyusha had figured out to make a small hair accessory with. A black bow.

Their father would be drinking almost all day. Leaving his two eldest to spend seven hours with education and his youngest home to freeze to death in a blizzard. Treating her like a filthy dog by making her shovel around the house; whip in hand in case she refused to do what he ordered.

Katyusha wouldn't be allowed to come home unless she had supper with her to feed to their father. Ivan snuck out of school each day to make sure that his little Natya was fed and didn't starve. He would take some of his clothing off, in no care that if he was naked and freezing just to make sure his little Natya didn't freeze.

He would cradle her and sing a small lullaby to her as her body trembled each time she could hear her father inside screaming for her to get back to work.

"It's alright, Natya.." Little Vanya would say, "Big systra will be home with some fresh milk and bread soon."

Though she hadn't, and their father had gotten worst. To the point where he had been breaking things and screaming for Natalya to start shoveling again. Natalya was a quiet girl. She never spoke. The only times she spoke were when she was hungry or wanted to play. When her father was around- all of it had been screams.

General Winter was who their father really was. A sick, twisted monster that only cared for his long-dead wife, and his bottles of _Russian water_. He came out from the house with the blizzard increasing to the sight of two of his children hiding under the house. His son bare naked with only trousers and his youngest daughter covered in his clothing to stay alive from the cold.

Winter bent down to the two young Nations before pulling out who he really wanted.

"Natalya~"

The old man began to question the young toddler who never spoke; ripping the clothing off of her until she was only in a diaper-listening to her sniffing and small whimpers. He pushed her down and used the palm of his hands to slap against her cheek and legs, exclaiming of how such a little bad girl she was.

As for Ivan- he ran inside. Inside in fear of that he might be next. Into a closet and staying there; listening to the cries of his little Natya being beaten. Bruises and cuts forming all over her legs and face.

From a distance Katyusha had been bringing home the said bread and fresh milk- though with the blizzard; no hearing of any cries at all.

A small metal weapon in his hand.. One he had found in his father's dresser. It had been loaded with eight bullets, and was in extremely good shape. The hearings of his sister crying made him mad. But the sight of her blood on the ground- reached his limit.

Ivan immediately ran outside to the scene where his father had been beating the little girl. Face completely covered in snow and red, legs purple and toes possibly with frost bite. His limit- was reached.

Jumping upon the old man, he tackled him to the ground and defended his sister; cursing for a six year old and telling the alcoholic that it wasn't what their mother would want. The fight lasted for about ten minutes- taken into the woods..

Katyusha came home in tears and shrieks at the sight of Natalya laying in the snow- breathing decreased and crying weakly in torturous pain. She brought the toddler inside and warmed her by the fire with new clothing and a fresh new diaper. She cradled little Natya and told her a story about their mother as a distraction to treat her cuts and bruises.

The sound of a gun shot was made.

The old man came back inside- a blade in his shoulder and a bloody face, "Damn boy needs to get punished," He spoke in his slurred tone; making his way upstairs for his daily bottle of vodka.

Natalya's vision focused as she looked around with a pacifier in mouth and bandages covering her body to the listening of punished. Vanya. She got up from Katyusha's lap but was forced back down to stay near the fire.

Katyusha had made three bowls of their mother's famous borscht, which Natalya refused to eat right away. About an hour passed until the door opened and revealed the six year old Russian- covered in bruises, gash on the head and a bullet lodged into his shoulder. But he stood there silently and walked over to his sisters where the first aid kit had been. Dealing with the wounds by himself and eating his supper as he did so.

Natalya had been whipping her hand up when Katyusha had brought the spoon with the warm soup up to her lips- causing the spoon and mashed up beets to stain the carpet. Ivan watched this with interest as he leaned over to Natalya and held out his spoon.

"Natya, open your mouth for the train." He spoke in a silly tone to convince her , listening to his younger sister's sniffles of disapproval. He sat there as he thought for a moment and took another bite out of his soup.

"Look, I'm eating all mine so I can get better, Natalya." The young Belarusian watched in silence as her brother ate.. in temptation to copy him. The mind of a three-year old did a lot- and when he had held out the spoon of beets to her again, she took a bite. Chewing it and swallowing it as her sniffing decreased.

"That's my little Natya."

They were now seventeen, thirteen, and ten. Even after all of these years, they still had the same father. Katyusha was graduating, Ivan was in the eight grade, and Natalya still never got her earn of education. Instead, staying home and doing the work her father asks.

But on this particular day, it was a horror ending for one life.

Ivan had been skipping school. Got a job as a mine worker and worked every day. When Katyusha had dropped him off at school he would immediately leave and go to his job where he got paid eighteen rubles per hour. Good deal. If it had been able to put food in the both of his sister's stomachs, then it was worth it.

He may of gained a little muscle. His land mass increasing and the signs of figure being shown on his ribs and arms. He hid them with usually a long sleeve; telling everyone that he may have gained a little weight by working.

There was always a flask of _water_ in his pocket. _Vodka_ gives him a boost perhaps say. To stay awake and be ready to work when needed.

The boss gave him a check every Friday. He worked five days a week; eight hours per day. Ivan spent the money on bread and various meats- only to bring them home.

He noticed his little Natya working as usual outside the house in only her dress and same rag-bow in her head. Coughing violently and occasionally throwing up due to how bad the cold had been.

She had spoken more while growing up. Only in Russian more than English. Ivan approached his sister by taking off his layer of coats and putting it on her. She dropped the shovel she had been using to shovel the snow to reveal her frost bitten hands and blistered fingers as well as the incredibly reddened face she had. Ivan removed almost everything on his body. His two layer of gloves and put it on her hands; including his scarf that his dearest older sister had made for him, wrapping it around his younger sister's neck and pulling her into a tight embrace to keep her warm and to stop her from her coughing.

"It's alright, Natya.." He began, "Lets get inside—"

They didn't. Hearing footsteps and loud laughter inside.. only resulted to one place.

Under the house.

The usual hiding spot to when their father had been looking for Natalya to make sure she had been working. They stayed close in hiding and remained absolutely silent. Each foot step.. he had been calling for her name but no reply.

"Damn little girl must be inside.." A slam from the front door had been the response. There was no time.. they needed to hide. The younger and older sibling dashed from under the house to up the window- Ivan's room. It had been a small room with only a bed and a desktop that contained a various amount of schoolwork that Ivan needed to make up. Ivan wasn't the one for school.. he never understood it. He couldn't even read English, yet, can speak it so fluently.

They hid in the closet. Natalya in his arms as she buried her face into her brother's chest and sniffed. The only thing Ivan could do was rub her back and tell her everything was going to be okay.. until she spoke in a quiet tone.

"..Big brother Vanya loves me, da?" She of course had learned a little English but wasn't good at it. Her accent had been incredibly heavy but could still make out the sentences easily, "..will protect me nyet matter what.."

"Always." He interrupted her before covering her mouth to the hearing of footsteps near the room, "Shh."

"Kept me safe from papa's whip.." She ignored the hand and continued to speak; though the footsteps had been increasing, "Big brother..lets get married when we are older so you can protect me forever, d-da?"

He sat there in absolute silence. What had she been saying? His only younger sibling was asking to do something- someone inhuman would do! There had been no way he would say yes to her. Even if it would have made her happy, it wouldn't make him happy!

"Nyet.. Natya.. That is wrong.." He began in a silent tone that had shown disgust- but said it in a calm way so he couldn't hurt her feelings.

"But papa says nyet one likes me.. that you always will.. _get married, big brother..married..married..married.._" Something had cracked in Natalya that day. Though it had been intimidating- she had developed this sort of crush towards her older brother. Always being by her side no matter what. Even if she was bleeding to death he would always be there. Who other person would do that? Probably their mother.. if she had been still on the living earth.

"_There you are~_" A slurred tone began with the closet door opening. Both of the sibling's eyes widened—even Natalya's little chant of married stopped to breathing in deeply and her face going incredibly pale.

"Little Natalya must be punished for not listening to her papa's commands.." The older one spoke before reaching over and grasping onto the Belarusian's arm; swinging the incredibly light body over his shoulder and walking out with a whip in hand. Ivan- was speechless.

He had said no to her, but in his mind he could picture marrying her. He always cherished her so much and protected her with everything he had. But what if he said yes? What would happen? What would Katyusha think of it? Would they be even allowed to—be happy? No, it was still wrong. Natalya needed someone better than him.

All of this was overwhelming him along his previous fears.. becoming an alcoholic and monster like their father was one.

He sat there which his heavy scent of vodka released upon his lips. He saw the whip, but hadn't reacted. Ivan waited until the both of them left to the hearing of screams coming from Natalya's mouth.

He got up and walked to the restroom; standing there on a stool so he could have been able to look at himself in the mirror.

Ivan had no idea what to do.

The small, sane voice inside his head told him to simply help his sister.. but it was so small. The rest of him was screaming, to get up and go save his sister's life before she ended up in a grave beside their mother.

A horrible grin flashed across his face. He slipped out of his long sleeve and gazed over at the cuts his father had given him through all these years. Bruises.. scars.. cuts that were healing.. The scar of the gun shot wound on his shoulder and the scar from the gash on his temple- barely even visible.

He wrapped his arms around himself, dragging his dull nails so hard against these cuts of shame.. he was done. Ripped and dead flesh was the only thing that came as response. These new cuts covered the scars left by his father.

"..The scars of a king." He whispered, wrapping them up to do the same to his back with a soft chuckle being released in between. His violet eyes that had shown no sign of light in them with his sadistic, horrid smile turning into disgust.. seeing the scar from the gash on his forehead.

He seemed very stressed putting his bloody hands on the sink counter and thinking. A voice clear as day to him- broke his thought. Natalya was what it had interrupted.

_ "Are you going to let him beat her again?"_

_ "Will you let him do that to a little girl?"_

Ivan grinned again and pulled on his shirt- though it immediately darkened by the blood. He smoothed his light-tan hair back and retrieved the only thing he had was a weapon.

The same gun used to get him shot in the shoulder.

It was a hand gun; putting it in his belt and walking downstairs. He flashed a good ol' smile and stepped out to the sight of flesh and blood covering the snow grounds. A whip that had been in the hands of a monster- and a little girl laying there absolutely face ground in her brassiere and panties.

The old man noticed his son, and Ivan noticed his father. The minute of eye contact- was the minute Ivan took out his little weapon that contained seven bullets.

He dashed over and tackled his father. Slamming it against his face and pushing him over to the railing of the house. He sat on him, much like a hunched crouch with his smile remaining.

Ivan laughed while his father, writhing under him swore and cursed, spitting threats and exclaiming how badly he was going to make sure his son didn't see another blizzard from this day on.

He continued to laugh- placing the barrel of the gun up to his father's forehead; occasionally glancing at the unconscious figure laying in the snow. She was still breathing.. that's all that mattered.

It was all still. All Ivan could hear is his younger sister's violent coughs and breathing, as well as for his own. He reached under his shirt to wipe some of the blood off of his chest and slap it across his father's face to humiliate him.

"Not so tough now are you, old man?" He was whispering though in the dead silence his voice was clear.

"This is a too good for you though." His tone was light, making it oddly enough creepy. He pulled his hand back to whip the gun across his father's forehead again,- with no warning, shoving the end of the gun that contained the barrel deep in his mouth where the horrible scent of vodka had been released.

"Many times I thought of turning this gun on myself.. but then I realized, I deserve the best." He spat with his own blood dripping onto the snow. Just the sight of his father's pathetic face made it even better for him.

"One day.." He leaned close to a whisper, even softer though to his father, "I'll be the best in the world. I'll be a powerful Nation.. It's a shame.. you won't see me be what you never could be, papa."

Fedyenka Winter Braginski 1874-1926.

Twenty, sixteen, and thirteen. Their living hell, was over.

The day when their father had passed, Ivan had taken care of Natalya no matter what. That day, he took care of her unconscious, limp body. Treated her wounds and made sure she had everything she needed. New toys, new dresses—even new ribbons for her hair.

For now- lots happened during those short five years.

Katyusha graduated and got a degree towards medical. But became a farmer to support taking care of her younger siblings. Two years of college, and they already were living in a much more comfortable- and safe home.

Natalya finally got the education she deserved. They started her off with home-school. But her academics were way above charts. The age of twelve- she skipped seventh and moved onto eighth. Soon enough, a freshman at thirteen. Top of her class, and was considered the most sexiest thing at that school.

Ivan had been a Junior, and never attended. He skipped out of classes, got detentions, and rarely did his school work. F's and D's were all he got, while his little sister got straight A's each term.

She may have been smart- but it didn't mean that people hit on her. They would call her pretty and try to fool her to go on a date with them.. Ivan despised it. Even though she refused each time someone asked her out; the marriage thing still had been the same reason.

"_Big brother_.." She would always peek into detention since he had been the only one in there- no teacher nor student to watch him. Ivan's immediate reaction was to run over to the window and try to climb out. But due to his size he certainly could not slip. May of perhaps say—he gained a little weight. Had an obsession with snacks and alcohol- a typical young man.

"_Big brother..why don't you come here_.. _and go at least on one date with me_?" He had been so close to reaching over for a chair and breaking the window to get out. Even if he loved her deeply Natalya really needed to stop.

"Nyet- Natya! Go home!" He couldn't help but to yell for the hundredth-billionth time ever since she was ten years old. The Belarusian stood there, ignoring his words and strolling over to him and pulling him away from the window.

"But big brother says that he loves little systra, d-da?" She began; surprisingly hesitating in hatred due to those words.

"We can get married.. _married_, Vanya.." She continued with her eyes sparkling in determination to get him to say yes. Though when she had tried to help him up- he immediately shoved her away.

"Nyet, Natalya! That is wrong! I am your brother,- not you love slave! I love you, da, but not in that way!" He exclaimed with fear being shown in his eyes. He hated to see her upset.. and what he had just said, made hot tears form in the brim of her eyes, "Just go away and leave me alone!"

Silence had been her response.. she thirteen year old pulled away with her face extremely red. Almost every guy wanted her—but why not Ivan? He called her pretty. He called her a beautiful angel—yet, it had shown nothing.

Even once, she took a bullet for Ivan. Robbers broke into the house one night- she pushed him away and took a stab under her right breast and bullet in her stomach. A German bullet, that is.

But it took a lot to kill a Nation. Sure, she suffered in the hospital for almost two months- but at least she lived.

Natalya dug her fingers into her arms- to the point where they bled through her uniform as she nodded and left the classroom where her brother had noticed the blood- trying to call out for her to apologize. She was gone. Though, she still hadn't given up.

Valentines day arrived and everyone had been begging for her to be their Valentine.. Ivan would watch when each boy came up to his younger sister and held out roses and chocolates- only for her to slap them across the face as a response and walk off.

Each year for Valentines day she would get her brother a bouquet of sunflowers that she had planted herself and a bottle of vodka by stealing it from a liquor store. It had been a secret that Ivan drank; she drank as well; once to the point that she had gotten so drunk that she passed out in tears in knowledge Ivan wouldn't love her back.

This Valentines day- was the last one she would try to share with her brother. She had a free period block and took this time to write her letter, get the sunflowers and bottle of vodka. There had been a various amount of sniffing coming from her as she wrote- but it was the right thing to do.

The refusals had gotten to her. It was so bad that she even cried herself to sleep at night that she wouldn't have been loved.

She asked Katyusha if she could go to a private school for the rest of her years of school. Yes, it had been questioned why but Natalya simply answered, "I think it'll be a good environment for me."

She left the flowers, alcoholic beverage and note in her brother's locker. He always checked it- and never knew she had the combination to it. Placing a small kiss to the letter, she walked off and headed home to where her sister had been; finishing up the rest of packing.

Ivan eventually came out of his usual after-school detention with the head of the school. Exhausted, he did the only thing he could do- and that was to raid the snack machine. Buying two bags of chips and eating them right out of the bag while he took his time to the trip to his locker.

He twisted the combination and flipped the door right open; being greeted by a various amount of sunflowers and a bottle of his precious drink. Oh, how much he loved sunflowers.. They reminded him of warmth, and such a thing was a rarity here in Moscow. It always had been, and always would be.

He picked up the bouquet and moved the flowers up to his nose; inhaling deeply. Why couldn't his land be covered in these yellow pedals? Sunflowers were warm.. not snow. He looked through his locker out of habit; his usual smile present under his empty eyes. No one was there at all in the school. No one was ever there after school.. Possibly his sister, yes, but he hadn't seen her almost all day. Who would want to be with him at this time anyway? No one. Well, the his sister- who he had considered sane at this point.

Ivan had been worried about her.. The other only who wanted to marry him when older, but she wasn't really a person—right? She didn't really matter. She was only a constant. A constant that served a purpose at some points in time, but mostly only got in the way for him to becoming a king.

He moved to look through the messy locker to make sure he had everything he needed for his trip home. An unorganized locker- but a single piece of paper caught his attention. It had water marks on it, as though someone had carried it through a gentle snow fall. Although it wasn't. It was also handwritten, and not nearly as crisp and impersonal as a policy should be.

Ivan picked up the sheet of paper gingerly, looking closely for a poisonous powder of any kind. None shifted on the cheap paper's surface. He scowled at the annoyance of someone obviously misplacing an important worksheet for a class he needed to do. How dare they further clutter his locker with useless information that only belonged in the trash?

The letter that only helped to remind him that he was alone in this warmth forsaken wasteland. Ivan smirked and grabbed the crinkled paper. It seemed to have had quite a bit of handling. He opened the fold and was humorously surprised to see that it was addressed to not his name, but 'Russia'. So it seems he did get letters once in a while.

He finished unfolding the parchment and saw that it wasn't much of a letter. It was simple and to the point, yet cutting; just like its author.

_Vanya,_

_If I have ever known you at all, you just had gotten out of detention and heading home right now before reading this. It would have bothered me at some point in the past, but I have found that winter is a decent numb to pain. Congratulations. Your screams, yelps, and gasps have overcome my faith. I will never pursue or see you again. I won't be back. I'm leaving today at 4:30 to get on a plane heading to England for an educational private school. Please consider this my immediate letter of resignation of seeing you again._

_Loveless,_

_**Belarus**__._

Ivan reread the letter several times, looking for some clue that it was a lie. Some reason that she would write such a thing. Katyusha must have forced her! That was it! No one forced Natalya to do anything but her.

Her signature gave him pause though. She had never signed with her official name before. Not in letters to him. Why do so now? If she actually meant what was written in the letter, it was to distance herself from him, but Ivan knew her better. Natalya didn't take change. She was a constant. Change wasn't feasible to her. She wouldn't have suddenly decided to run off.

He looked through the letter for any sign of an emotional struggle, but the strokes where her usual elegant sketch. He looked at it as a simple letter and realized for the first time that she had beautiful hand writing. His official hand was close to her level, but it still fell short. He sighed and leaned back in his chair and accepted the truth. His constant had left him. It—She, he corrected himself, had finally had enough.

Ivan looked back on his treatment of her and sighed. He had treated her like a sick dog right after this marriage strike began. He had always taken what she offered, but never returned anything. When the robber's had broken into their house—she had taken a German bullet for him! Bleed on the snow for him after their father beat her! What had he done in return? Nothing. Had she slapped him, or even just refused, it wouldn't have felt so bad now! But no! She had bitten her lip to keep from crying, and had done just what he ordered each time he told her to go away.

Ivan's knees gave. He fell on the floor in the middle of that hallway, and didn't care if someone saw him. It didn't matter. What he had done to Natalya was anything but—he wondered did she still have the scars from their father's whip? Did she still have the burn marks on her upper arm from cooking meals just for him? Did she still have a limp from the broken leg she had taken from her father so he couldn't get beaten?

The knife wound just under her right breast from those robbers when they tried to stab him? It had nearly punctured her heart, and he had just stood there and watched Katyusha sob when his little Natya had to go through an eight hour surgery.

There had been so much that he had missed. So much that had happened to her, and he couldn't even claim to have not been around. He had been around. He just didn't care. Something wet made its way down his face. He reached a hand up and realized it was a tear. He was actually crying. He had sworn never do to that after his mother had passed. He had always kept that oath. Until now.. Another warm tear followed the path of the other, and Ivan realized that his eyes stung. He ignored the pain and asked himself the question that had always lingered in his mind, but now the words held such different meaning.

Why had she loved him? What had he ever done to her to warrant such loyalty and affection? Sure, he had taken care of her and made sure that she was happy at all costs, but that was only to further a plan. He had made her life as miserable just saying no to her. Yet, until today, she had been in love with him. He sighed and dragged himself off of the floor and trudged to his locker. He reached into his wallet and took out a small picture that had been his little Natya at eight months when she had gotten her first tooth. Another tear escaped him. He had ruined it her happiness! He was truly alone now... she was leaving him to get away and find someone else who would love her, let her bear with their children and become a strong an powerful Nation herself. He was alone in this God forsaken wasteland.

He looked at the letter in his locker and his eyes hardened. She wouldn't leave him! Not like this! He needed her! He needed her in ways he had never even entertained before. She _was _his, damn it! He'd be damned if he let her go without a fight. He slammed the locker shut and stalked out of the school with his bag in hand.

He needed to stop her from leaving. Once he did, everything would be okay! Everything would be fixed. He'd show her that he can love her! He ripped off his uniform coat and wrapped it around his waist, but kept his scarf on as usual.

She would be his again, and this time, he would marry her right after she graduates. He'd have to have the royal jeweler start working on a white gold ring once he had the money to.

He'll get a job for her. Bail out of school and get three jobs if needed! Let her bear with his children- all he wanted was her not to leave and go off with the wrong guy. He'll apologize- anything to get her smiling again instead of watching tears form in her eyes each time he refused to go on at least one date with her..

One date.. She had been taken it much more easier. It started off with marriage.. and it turned from marriage to a date. And she had said it in such a calm tone when she had asked. But he only threw harsh words at her and let her walk off crying with no care at all.

She suffered more than he did when they were younger. She almost died many times because of their father.

Ivan had forgotten about that. Ever since there had been a major turn in their lives and they were safe- he had forgotten the pain his younger sister went through almost everyday.

But as for now, he needed to get home—and get home quickly.

Meanwhile; Natalya had been looking down at the listen of plans she made once she had been in England. The plane headed off in an hour, so she needed to hurry. Thirteen years old- and going off to a new school in a different country.

Taking care of herself alone. Just the way she wanted it.

"Ah.. shit." She looked up to the sight of snow beginning to fall. The snow.. her greatest enemy yet. Possibly a curse from her father in hell, letting her know that she wasn't smart and just an idiot trying to get away from her family. _Shut up, papa._

Trying to piss her off had been the possible chance of why.

She coughed softly when Katyusha had told her to climb inside the car, and that she'd finish up loading the suitcases. Natalya refused the instant.. the sooner they were gone, the sooner she could get away from Ivan.

Natalya wondered if she was doing such a big favour for her brother. Not making him stressed about a little maniacal thirteen year old after for love.

"You set?" She looked up when her sister had asked, opening the door for her to climb inside. Natalya pleasurably did as she sat in the front seat and buckled her belt.

"Da—"

"NATALYA BELARUS ARLOVSKAYA!"

The sounding of her name gave her a pause. She turned around for a moment in her sister's truck before shaking her head- thinking that it was the wind at first, "Da, ready."

And they had been off. Slowly making their way out of the snowy driveway for the half an hour drive, only for Katyusha to stop driving when a figure had jumped in front of them and waved its hands back and forth.

Due to the snow, Natalya could absolutely not see, "Why did you stop?" she asked in confusion as Katyusha sat there in the drivers seat completely shocked. The Belarusian rolled her eyes to the thought of a rabbit crossing. Pathetic.

Her fingers reached into the pocket of her coat as she slipped out a pair of lenses so she could see much clearer; being pulling out of the truck immediately and hearing the door shut.

The only thing she could feel, was the feeling of warmth. Hearing occasional sobs but the warmth and smell had been so familiar.

Katyusha of course could not see what had been happening but freaked out to why Natalya had been missing and parked the car- thinking that she went outside to check what was blocking the driveway during this horrible storm.

"Natalya please don't go. Don't leave me alone.. I'll never say nyet again.. please.. I can not be alone.." Utter confusion had been the first thing Natalya had thought when she had heard the voice. But no.. that had been.. her Vanya.. crying.. Did she do something wrong?

"V-Vanya..I have to." She began with her face stuffed into his chest by force. Ivan had been hugging her so hard that she couldn't even speak clearly. Natalya hated it so much that because she was leaving him- was making him cry. It hurt so much.

She thought she had been doing such a big favour to him. Getting away from him so he could be happy without her in his life. Hesitantly, she used her gloved hand to reach into the pocket of her coat and take out a handkerchief that had her name sewed onto it; wiping away his tears.

"I thought I was making you happy by leaving, Vanya." She admitted in a much fainter tone; not wanting to tear up nor hesitate in the horrible winds they were standing in. "I want you to be happy, big brother.. and if it requires for me to be gone- I will go to England and find someone else while I stay there.. it is alright. You'll be so much happier—"

"Nyet!" Ivan would not let her go, even if she tried to get away from him, he would never let her leave to go anywhere without him. His voice was surprisingly loud in the storm- that it even caused Natalya to flinch just a bit.

"Nyet.. Natya.. please, I don't want you to leave!" Ivan was becoming a little panicked at the thought that she would still leave after. His eyes began losing light and sanity before a wide grin cracked on his lips; tears streaming down his face no matter what.

"Please, Natalya, don't go.." His grin increased as he continued to hold onto her, "..A wife can't leave her husband.. n-nor does a girlfriend leave their boyfriend for a-any reason.. c-can she?" He blinked at the realization of what he had just said. Now- he had done it.

"Natalya.. when you graduate.. please be my wife.. marry me.." It seemed for a moment, he had lost any sanity he had left. It was expected though since lately he'd lock himself in his room ad no come out for days occasionally.

"Don't leave your big brother.. be my girlfriend, d-da? Bear with my children.. be my wife.. please.." Moments after his proposal his hand weakened on hers and he began to shiver even more than he usually did towards snow. Especially since this snow had been his father's—he couldn't stand conscious on it for much longer. "P-Please.."

Her legs trembled in the snow as well at the offer.. had he given in? After all of these years- he really did love her? To this, an immediate blush covered her whole face. She never had felt- this happy in her life as a Nation before. A small giggle escaped her lips as she trembled in the snow nodding.

"D-Da.. I won't go.." In truth, there had been so much relief in Ivan. He had caught her on time- and she wasn't going to leave him. She was going to get married to him after she graduated and got her degrees, and be happy with him.

Ever since, they've been together non-stop. Natalya stayed and remained as one of the top students at the school. Ivan's been there to support her almost everyday; taking her out to dates and getting a smile or two out of her by it.

She lost her virginity at the age of fourteen, and him, at seventeen. The talk of marriage had been at least brought up once, though he had already bought her a ring that he had wasted his savings on.

He got two jobs and began to share a room with her. Katyusha was aware of their relationship but said nothing about it. Though with her, she had been in a relationship with a familiar Canadian and was expecting a _little one_.

Ivan threatened the young Canadian if he ever messed around with Katyusha when their little one arrived, then he wouldn't hesitate to kill him.

They had a little boy, and named him Dmitry Williams.

Natalya had been happy that her older sister was having dream come true of starting a family. Though Ivan had been impatient and wanted to have the same happiness his sister had.

Ivan and Natalya moved out to a small apartment. He supported Natalya as she went to school. She was a Junior at fifteen now, and needed a date for the Junior prom.

Ivan find out about it, and though he had dropped out he still asks her if she'll be his date for junior prom.

"_Why wouldn't I be?_" She answers in a obvious tone that she would. Their sister takes pictures of them before while little Andrusha stares from a corner with a pacifier in his mouth and a small teddy bear in hand.

She's wearing one of her sister's hand-me-down dresses that had to be adjusted at the bust, but it fits nonetheless and he thinks she looks absolutely beautiful.

It's May, and she's sixteen and a senior, and he's nineteen and still working during prom. They have sex in the back of their sister's truck by the lake as a little midnight treat to relax after all of their dancing. Though it hadn't been the first time they've done it, they still had a pleasurable time- even if it was the hundredth time in four years.

It's awful and clumsy and sweaty and by the end of it; she's lost her underwear under his seat and they were staying with their sister for the weekend. She had to sneak through the back door and take some panties out of her suit case and put them on before her sister woke up or her husband, Matthew.

For her senior prom, they stayed at home, watching movies and eating popcorn and she's fallen asleep on his shoulder by eleven o'clock, so he carries her up to her room and kisses her goodnight.

When they get home that night poor Katyusha is forced to listen to him gush about her and how he plans on marrying her one day, and that's when his sister brings up the problem that she's graduating in less than a week and that he's supposed to work while she goes off to college.

This makes his mood hang low until her graduation day when she's wearing a cap and a gown and she's there in the bleachers sitting by her family who've come to love her.

When it's over, Ivan's hugging her by his truck and she's crying for the first time—in a long time, getting his shirt wet and his forehead is resting against hers and he can't help but cry a little, too. He tells her how he'll buy an apartment not far away from her university so they could live together throughout her two years of getting her academics degree and teaching license.

By early August he had found a small apartment for them to live in and their sister and husband are helping him pack up his things so they could get going and Natalya could go onto college with an English scholarship, and everyone's getting choked up because they don't want her and Ivan to leave.

The only thing Ivan had been thankful about was that he's made his sister so happy.

She was seventeen now, and her academics once again reached highest charts. He's twenty and working almost everyday now, supporting to pay the rent of their little apartment- but so far had been doing amazingly good.

Natalya's majoring in Literature with Dickens and Shakespeare. Between her classes and finals and important projects, Ivan and her start having less and less time to chat but that's okay because when it's all over they're having fun instead of stressing out, and they're laughing instead of having near panic attacks. She's excelling in her classes, and he's become one of the best employees at a mining job.

But it seems like they've only just started. Ivan throws a small party for his girlfriend-sister when it's close to graduation. Even though she's been only attending the university for about a year and already passed all of her major finals, she was graduating at eighteen with a teaching license and academics degree.

For the second time since they were in high school they're at it again when Ivan takes her on another date and it's _harder and sweatier_; better than the last time which only had been last week.

After they're done and dressed, they're sitting on the tailgate of his truck; the truck he had taken from his older sister but forgot to return it. He's had for a while but never though of re turning it since she already had a family van for her little one. Ivan points out constellations due to only leaving high school with a strong amount of knowledge about science, and Natalya's repeating poetry and it's probably one of the most memorable nights they've ever had.

They've been dating for nearly four years and Ivan decides it's time for him to make a move so he goes out and takes out the ring he had bought many years ago after he asked her to marry him during that horrible blizzard.

Natalya doesn't suspect a thing but she starts to wonder why her dearest Vanya is pushing her into the bedroom of their shared apartment, telling her to get ready in her nicest outfit. She looks stunning when she comes out, and they're both dressed to the nines and he's taking her out to a fancy restaurant and there's sparkling champagne and a whole lot of vodka.

Natalya finally asks him what's up and his hand is sweating in his pocket where the ring was and he's thinking, _What if she says no?_ but the moment he gets down on one knee everyone in the restaurant has their eyes on them and she gasps and puts a hand to her mouth.

When she gets over her shock and replies with a simple "_Da_" and a "_I've been waiting for you to ask, Vanya._" everyone's clapping and cheering. When they start to tell everyone, his buddies from work clap in him on the back and tell him they're happy for him and their families couldn't be more proud (especially when only a few months later during their engagement, Katyusha found out that she was expecting once again).

They wait a couple of weeks until they start to plan out the wedding and it takes a while. The cake, the dress, and the invitations….

The both of them did it by themselves as a happy couple, and occasionally helped out with their sister by taking care of her little boy throughout her pregnancy.

The day came of their wedding (which ironically had been the first day of Winter), and Natalya was getting fitted into her dress with her sister. Curling her hair and slipping the sleeves onto her arms.

Although Katyusha had been around twenty-eight weeks with another little boy, her mood didn't change at all as she prepared her baby sister. Slipping on shoes and doing her make-up as well.

Little Dmitry had been the ring bearer at the age of three with a pacifier still in his mouth due to habit and his teddy bear just in case he wanted to take a nap during the wedding service with his papa.

Ivan had snuck out of where all the men gathered to the room where he could see his fiancée getting ready, only to use a small mirror so he could watch her get dressed like the natural pervert he was, and wasn't afraid to admit it.

He watched Katyusha put the last touches to his bride as she mentioned something about a bright light disturbing her; only to cause Natalya to tell her to sit down due to thinking that she was over stressing herself- and that it had been unhealthy.

The minute something about a light had been brought up, Ivan immediately dashed away from the scene; glad he had brought his camera to take pictures of Natalya to tease her later about.

The final touch was added to Natalya's hair when the veil had been placed upon it with a beautiful bow on the front of her head. Her hair had been long as it covered the most of her back, and the flaps of the dress covered her feet length.

She stood outside the beautiful field to where they picked; standing there alone as she admired the field and glad they had chosen the field where their own mother had been buried. Covered in sunflowers and a beautiful sky view- it was perfect.

Natalya clutched onto the bouquet of sunflowers in her hands as she watched each bridesmaid go out, including her sister as she held onto her little boy who had been holding the rings Ivan had spent almost thousands on for.

She couldn't help but to let her legs tremble when the wedding march began. _Everything's alright.. It's your wedding day.. calm yourself down, Natalya._

Slowly, her feet made its way down the aisle as she held her chin up high with a small smile on her face. Not to big, not to small. Just perfect.

Cameras had been flashing and Ivan watched at the end of the aisle where a priest had been to wed them. But when she had been in the middle of the aisle Natalya sees him, and they fall in love all over again.

Even when she arrived and took his rough, warm hands, they were still staring at each other like they could for decades.

The moment of the 'I do's' came as Ivan listened; saying "I do" before Natalya came upon the same response, "I do."

Wedding bells crashed and rang when the priest had said, "You may now kiss your bride."

Tears filled the field, especially from the twenty-eight week pregnant Ukrainian. They were off to their ride to the small island they had reserved for their honeymoon.

Snuggling against each other and talking about the fun activities they planned to do; Ivan knew after all of these years, this was the best decision he's ever done.

They had around four bottles of _Russian water_ each, and felt a little whoozy. Natalya had been giggling around as well as for Ivan when they arrived.

He picked her up bridal style and took her to the only place where they wanted to be—the bedroom.

Ivan stared down at his new, beautiful wife; whose face had been red due to the amount of alcohol they had drank. It slowly turned into passionate kissing to strong and powerful sex.

Though, by the amount of alcohol they had consumed; they forgot the most important thing that they always had during sexual intercourse.

When morning had came Natalya had been the first to wake up. Seeing bed sheets and pillows everywhere. Her hips hurt but she ignored it as she looked down at the sleeping figure beside her; watching him toss and turn occasionally each time she caressed his cheek with her small hand.

They spent two weeks on a private island in America before heading back to Moscow. They returned to their simple daily lives. Though they were married, they still had been working.

Natalya had been teaching and tutoring children around the neighborhood as well as going through piles of paperwork each night, as well as for Ivan due to both being Nations and needing to take care of their people.

Their sister had the new precious little one and had named him Andrusha Williams.

Natalya would occasionally help babysit if she wasn't that busy. Taking care of Andrusha and making sure he had everything he needed. _Being a mother is fucking hard._ She thought, wondering what would have happened if she had ever carried Ivan's child.

Three months passed and everything still had been the same. Ivan had gotten a third job as a truck driver to deliver packages, following along his job as a Nation and a mine worker. He had been always greeted to the sight of his wife and dinner awaiting him at the dinner table.

Even after all of these years, he was an incredibly big eater and gained even much more weight after marrying Natalya- as for she- her clothes had been getting _tighter; _especially around her waist.

Ivan had been twenty-one, and Natalya had been eighteen.

On one particular day, Natalya had been sitting on the living room floor of the new house that they had bought with the amount of money they had saved up. A rather large one—perhaps say. Six bedrooms, four bathrooms, one enormous kitchen and much more; especially a beautiful field that covered their whole back yard.

She had been folding clothes like the normal housewife she had been. Organizing each clothing that had belonged to her and each clothing that had belonged to Ivan in a neat way, and putting them back in the basket to put away into the clothing shelves later.

She felt different in a way. Extremely- but never questioned it and moved on.

Ivan had now been coming home from his job; even though he had been drinking he technically called himself the man of the house. He had been in a good mood by eavesdropping his boss at the mentioning of a raise; sweeping into the enormous house to the sight of his beautiful wife folding his clothing. For a husband's natural reaction, he did come up to her and kiss her forehead by surprise and immediately had asked how her day had been.

Natalya in truth felt so much different than she was three months ago. Folding another dress shirt that belonged to Ivan, she looked up at him weakly as she greeted him hello with a kiss and a exhausted smile; replying to having a great day of getting the house clean for his return; as well as for some paperwork for her boss.

"Your boss is a dick." He been his immediate response. Ivan thanked everyday for the spirit of his mother letting him realize that the perfect woman was right in front of him. He cradled his wife in his arms and snuggled her- watching her fold the clothes in temptation to help her out.

He tried to help, but she blocked his hand and told him to rest before she started on dinner. Being a miner and working as a Nation all day was tiring. But Ivan remembered something as he spoke, only to reach into his bag and hand her a bottle of vodka. He explained to her that he showed some of his coworkers a picture of her today and earned himself a bottle of vodka for her.

"Even though you're only eighteen you should still have it." Ivan encouraged as he put the bottle in between her hands. She couldn't help but to squeak when the bottle was in her hands- it definitely had been a large one. And hell with it, she's been drinking the damn beverage ever since the age of thirteen just like Ivan.

After a minute of staring over the kind of vodka it had been and how strong it was- out of no where she placed a hand upon her lips to cover them for a moment as she sat there. She cleared her throat and kept her hand covering her mouth- but immediately removed them when Ivan had picked her up and brought her to the nearest toilet in questioning that she was alright.

"Da.. my throat is a little dry. So I think tea with some honey will help." She tried to get out of the discussion of her being okay- since usually when something happened to her, Ivan would take her to the doctor no matter what. She even one time tripped over a sunflower vase and twisted her ankle by it. Instantly at the hospital to where nurses and doctors lectured Ivan for bringing her there for a pointless reason.

The child Ivan had been when he dashed off to the kitchen first before she could even place the kettle on the stove. Natalya followed in small giggles as she held onto her stomach which had been twisting with various amount of cramps; ignoring them and beginning to cut up a various amount of beets and smash them up for their mother's famous borscht. She joked around saying, "Don't fall on your face" or "You're such a kid, Vanya" with Ivan pinching her cheeks as response and kissing her jaw-line to her neck in a affectionate way.

Soon enough, their conversation turned into science of how Natalya took the words right out of Ivan's words and began to speak about hydrogen and oxygen atoms, protons and electrons like the 'smartass', as Ivan would call it, she was. But a pretty one, that no one else could have.

At this point of time she had been slouching and using the both of her hands to support her to stand up straight. She felt dizzy and tired as she stood- with Ivan questioning right away if she was going to be alright.

"I'm fine." Natalya answered in response; taking out a glass and filling it with water.. which had cracked her nausea. She slammed the glass of water down into the sink before sprinting of to the nearest toilet she could find,- the unexpected vomiting began.

Ivan stopped dinner right away and followed her to the restroom. Leaving the stoves on like the irresponsible man he was. Seeing her sick made him feel bad as a husband. But he held her radiant, long hair back and rubbed her back- saying the same phrase which always came out of him, even if it had been the tiniest thing—

"Natalya, I'm taking you to the doktor after supper."

The complains came from her mouth of how she felt fine and only had an upset stomach began. Ivan ignored it and still brought her.. but during supper that had been what definitely caught her attention.

Supper had been rather- confusing for Ivan. He had only made a meal for two people, with occasional leftovers yet—he couldn't eat to the sight of his wife stuffing down anything she could get down her throat. Burning her tongue and throat at the same time—she never ate this much. He rubbed his eyes and realized that almost all of the food had been gone. He took the scraps for himself before even choking out,

"Natya, do you feel—warm?" He asked in a unbelievable tone. This had definitely convinced him that she needed to see a doctor. She was throwing up, eating more, and not even focusing straight.

"Mmf?" She looked over with a various amount of meat stuffed in her mouth as she swallowed, clearing her throat with some water and wiping her mouth with a napkin, "Just fine..?"

He took her anyway. Though she had been whining about the syringes doctors knew- he didn't care. All he wanted was for his wife to be better—and for her to be healthy.

Ivan called in two hours earlier before they arrived and held onto Natalya's hand the whole time. She continued to rant how it had been pointless but sucked it up and went through it.

Natalya went through a series of exams as Ivan watched. Even a vaginal one which was required for any body examination.. only to be returned with a small plastic stick which she was ordered to take. She looked down at the stick and of course took it; giving it back to the doctor when she had finished and watched him rush out. She couldn't help but to question if her nausea as that bad—

Twenty minutes passed before the results of the tests had returned, as well as a small "Congratulations" from the nurse who handed the results. Natalya opened up the documents as Ivan stood beside her, oblivious to the English handwriting and letting his wife deal with the reading.

She regretted not bringing her reading glasses but read anyway. But the instant she had reached to the forth page of a test result that she had been terrified of- she held out the papers to Ivan and spoke in a silent tone.

"Do you see what I'm seeing?" She asked, making sure she wasn't going crazy, "Or is my vision messing with me again?"

Ivan stared at the papers for a few seconds, actually trying to pronounce the single word. It had taken around seven minutes for him to figure it out, and he grinned when he figured it out.

"Says pregnant." He was smirking at first, proud of himself that he read something by himself in English without the requirement of help—soon enough to register what it had meant. Going pale and extremely _wan_, he spoke once again,

"E-Er..pregnant?" He looked down at his little sister who had been sitting there with her legs trembling,- showing that she had been incredibly terrified by finding out something—something this so shocking and unexpected.

"You're pregnant, Natalya..?" Ivan couldn't help but to react by moving the papers aside and put his hands against her incredibly flat stomach. Which in fact, hadn't noticeably grown at all since it had been early to notice.

"There's a baby inside you.. half me, half you?" It was hard to say it, but he was in minor shock.

Natalya thought she was going crazy. Especially after Ivan had said that word—_pregnant_. It was real. She only felt different by her waist- but her clothing had became much tighter than it was before she got married…before she got married.. that was it.

She had been in minor shock as well, since she had expected to be having his children when she was at least the age of twenty-one. Not eighteen and a half! She had just graduated and got married three months ago. Now she's supposed to take care of a baby?

"Three months.." She had been exactly right, since on the paper they estimated for her to be around eleven weeks.

Their honeymoon.. it was the most suspected time to conceive. They were drunk- they were happy and wanted to make love. Though with being drunk, there was always consequences. They were always protective about their sex and always wore a condom. Two if needed.

"There's something inside you.." Ivan stared intently at her stomach and continued to rub it out of habit, looking up with her with his violet eyes gleaming in response. He was going to be a father-! A father of a child that he's always wanted, with the perfect woman. And he wasn't going to mess up and fuck up like their father did.

"What does the paper say?" He began to spit out questions of excitement.

"Is it a boy or girl?" Natalya stared down at him with her eyes widening- speechless. She had thought that he would immediately left her once he had knocked her up. Ivan didn't care.. he was extremely happy.

"I'm going to spoil them just I spoil you!" He laughed and got up before bringing her into a tight embrace as she sat there in completely shock. Out of temptation, he pulled up her shirt to kiss her flat stomach- laughing and keeping his tight embrace around her to now knowing that little feet would be joining their small family.

Natalya stood there in silence. She couldn't help but to rub her temple and flinch at each questioned. That had been when she remembered.

Back when they had been students in high school they would always talk about what they would name their children if they had any.

A small blush cracked upon her cheeks at the remembrance. That night had been when she conceived. There was no other way. They were always safe about sex, and they did it unprotected once. It only took one time, for something like this to happen.

"I've always wanted to have children, Natalya.." Ivan kissed her hand when she had tried to stop him from talking—which only resulted to him talking into her hand. Though, the thing what had been worrying him had been a little- taboo question.. he had been always worried about their intermarriage,- what if it effected the baby?

"Will.. will it be okay?" He didn't know how to ask the question; but when he did he instead buried his face into her flat stomach in worry, hiding his entire face.

Natalya couldn't help but to laugh at him—it was a natural reaction for a soon-to-be father to react, yes? But she held in another laugh as he sniffed, causing her to run a hand through his hair and smile, as if nothing was wrong, "Da, as long as I don't do anything stupid like run into walls. I will be just fine, as for this little monkey." She teased, which made her happy that he got a chuckle out of him as well.

Ivan knelt there in silence as response before shaking his head; biting down on his lower lip to not take any chances to press it. All he could do was hope and pray for the best of their angel.

Leading out of the doctor's office he stopped to pay due to not having any insurance for her and him, scowling and scrimmaging for his wallet the minute he heard the price, "Two-hundred and thirty rubles to tell me that my wife is three months pregnant? Bastards."

From there on, they had been head over heels for their little one on the way. Natalya had been going through a series of back pains and a lot of complaining about her weight, but Ivan would reply to her, "You still look beautiful even if you don't believe me."

She would still work everyday. Going through piles of paperwork and stopping once or twice for a vomit.

Ivan would always be there to hold her hair back and make sure she had everything she needed. Also give her a massage on her lower back or feet and listen to her day when he had returned from work, especially about her doctor's appointments.

She would eat almost anything that she could find. She even ate all of Ivan's candies which deeply hurt him, but he knew it would all be worth it.

Natalya would eat fast-food or take-out when Ivan was gone at work- leaving usually a full trash can of junk food to Ivan's surprise; resulting him to force her to each a whole plate of vegetables each time he caught her.

They managed to scrape up enough money from his mining job and her own job as a teacher and Nation to buy new clothing, a new crib, and even new toys that Natalya thought that she could make easily by hand.

They have more than enough fun decorating one of the rooms in all kinds of colors when they find out the gender.

It was a little girl.

Ivan and her would have endless conversations about whose eyes or noses she'll have; which began Ivan's fear of what happened if his little girl had his curse of a nose.

Natalya gets a hold of a few naming books from the library and her weird and awkward cravings make him laugh more than her more severe than usual mood swings that make it seem like she's about to strangle him one moment and then hug him the next.

She gained around thirty pounds throughout her pregnancy and Katyusha is there always to help her deal with the cramps and pains of walking, Natalya had been able to do it.

It was around January 2nd in the morning when the contractions and labour pains had began. Currently as for Natalya, she had been walking around the house to get the contractions going as Ivan followed her with a stop watch and recorded each time another contraction hit.

Natalya's face had been pale as she stopped at one of the bathroom doors, "Why can't we go now..?" She couldn't help but to complain; but with these contractions if felt like if she continued to walk she was going to kill herself and the baby.

"The doktor said when they're three minutes apart, then we go," Ivan explained as helped her stand up straight and continued to walk, since the contractions had been going on and on for the past couple of hours; it had been so bad that Natalya couldn't even sleep- and Ivan couldn't sleep to knowing that the love of his life was going through deep pain.

Her water broke after all of the walking to get the contractions going and Ivan was packing everything into the car before zooming off to the hospital. Natalya of course had been put into immediate care; being given an epidural since Katyusha had told Ivan for a first baby she should take it and kept complaining about how it did not work; as well as for close to murdering anyone who touched her.

Around the time she was ready to push, Ivan had been holding onto Natalya's hand and whispering couraging things to her about how everything would be alright and how he would be with her no matter what; occasionally being interrupted by Natalya screaming about her insides being ripped apart as well as for her hand _**badly**_crushing Ivan's hand.

Natalya continued to push and push until the doctor announce he could see the head cradling; and soon enough a faint cry could be heard with the pain that had been building inside of her instantly gone.

She looked at the newborn on her stomach; completely covered in blood as she cried and tears filled Natalya's eyes as Ivan watched with a smile, kissing Natalya's cheek and letting her know how proud he was of her.

They named her Alyona Syn Braginski. Republic of Moscow.

Natalya had always wanted a boy but figured as long Ivan was happy, she was happy too.

When she had been staying in postpartum room she had been holding the newborn girl with joy and listening to the nurse as she explained how to change a diaper, as well as for giving baths and such. Katyusha was notified of Natalya giving birth once Ivan called in the middle of the night but was only able to come in the morning since she had children of her own to care for.

Katyusha taught Natalya everything in the hospital room about how to breastfeed, take a bath and many other things and was told by her that if Natalya needed any help at all was to contact her and not Ivan which caused Ivan to playfully stick out his tongue at his older sister as he munched down on some chips.

Ivan was extremely happy that he had been a father now. He had been wanting children ever since him and Natalya were in high school; but Natalya would always be strict with him about saying they were too young and such. Though Natalya had been eighteen, almost nineteen, he knew she could do it with his help.

He had been even more happy that they got to name the newborn one of the names he had been longing to name one of his future daughters. Alyona Syn as the first, Moscow as the middle, and Braginski as the last name.

Natalya carried his offspring for nine months, forty weeks, in repayment for him loving her- she let him name their newborn and let their little Alyona be the new capital of his land.

What had been the major relief was that Alyona did not have her papa's nose. More of like a relief to Ivan, that is.

Ever since, they raised that little girl together; watching her complain for food and cry when she didn't get a cookie or something she wanted. Alyona certainly was a really big eater like Ivan. Occasionally, the toddler and him would have fights to who would get served dinner first while Natalya laughed and gave them equal amounts of food as she ate a light meal.

Natalya had been twenty, Ivan had been twenty-three, and their little Alyona had been the age of two.

They watched her grow into a toddler—throwing tantrums when wanting dinner faster or wanting _the boob_.

"Mamamamamamamamamamamamama!" Alyona would march around the kitchen while tugging onto Natalya's apron, "I want mimi, now!"

Natalya found it adorable how toddlers would come up with their own language terms. Alyona would refer milk as to 'mimi', sleeping as to 'nini', or even Ivan's fat cat, Vodka, as to "Fluffy" for his weight.

Usually in the morning Natalya would kiss Ivan goodbye when he went off to work and took care of Alyona throughout the day. She would start off her mornings by sitting in the living room and sewing a new dress or two for Alyona to wear; as well as hang up some drawings Alyona would give to her which consisted stick figures of her, Alyona, Ivan, and the cats all together.

Alyona slept- late. She always slept in until nine like her father usually would and only would get up when she needed a diaper change or was hungry. But she crawled out of her crib, headed downstairs with a blanket that used to be her mama's, handed down to her while sucking on a pacifier and walking up to Natalya; tugging on her food, "Mama.."

Natalya looked down at the toddler and couldn't help but to laugh at Alyona's appearance. Alyona was in a stubborn mood in the mornings and didn't want to get up; but had to since she had been wanting to eat.

Natalya nodded and took the toddler into the kitchen; giving her some fruits to start off in the morning but made that disgusted face Ivan would make towards fruit and vegetables; but ate it anyway since when she didn't eat them she wouldn't get her portion of _mimi_ and pancakes that her uncle Mattie had usually made for her and brought to Natalya for her to eat.

She had never been to happy in her life.. Natalya thought it would be annoying to take care of a child; but it was a blessing in a way- especially how Alyona was half her and half Ivan.. Genetics was an interesting thing; she thought- seeing Alyona with short, natural, wavy blonde hair like her mama when she was younger, deep, dark violet eyes like her papa and his attitude with eating- she was perfect.

As days passed, Alyona would press her lips against the television screen and be convinced that she would marry the prince in Cinderella and live in a beautiful castle one day.

Most of her tantrums started around this time; wanting of more food and toys which Ivan pleasurably gave to her; but causing Natalya having to sit down with Ivan that he needs to understand that sometimes Alyona can't be spoiled all the time.

Until the topic of a younger sibling came up.

Natalya would take baths with her daughter to make sure she didn't run off naked around the house. She would play boats and put bubbles in her daughter's hair—only to get a small giggle or two out of the little girl.

"Mama, can I have a baby brother or sister, please?" Alyona would always ask after her mother wrapped her up in a towel and dried her. Natalya stared down at the little girl in her arms who she deeply loved very much and replied in a small tone;

"We'll see."

It hadn't been long until Natalya brought up the talk of having another baby with Ivan. Ivan of course had no problem of trying to get his wife pregnant, but there always had been a simple, "_Why?"_ in each discussion they talked in.

"I feel like she's alone, Vanya." Natalya would answer in a quiet tone, taking occasional sips out of her cup of honey-tea, "I want her to have someone to look after and play with while you and I work—and when she starts school."

Shortly after that talk- around another two years passed. It was mostly talking about conceiving for another child. But each time they tried, Alyona was either in another room or in Ivan's arms. There was no way they could find time to be alone.

Ivan had been twenty-five, Natalya had been twenty-two and their little girl had been the age of four.

It had been around in the afternoon when Natalya had gotten a phone call from a little girl who lived down the street in wanting to play with Alyona. "Da, da, of course," Natalya answered in a excited tone, rather glad that she had been able to get Alyona out for at least one day so Ivan and her could try to conceive when she wasn't home. A couple of hours later Alyona was sent to her friend's house, which led into pleasurable sex once again for Ivan and Natalya after a long time.

It had been long, hard and sweaty, but they prayed that it would work. If it was easy to conceive with Alyona then hell, it would have been easy to conceive again.

They found out after four short weeks that they were expecting _another_ little one again after Natalya had fallen down the stairs while cleaning around the house and hadn't woken up from the impact of the fall.

Everyone had been excited- but the one who had been the most excited was the little girl who had been begging her parents everyday if she could have a little sibling.

Alyona would always ask her mama if she could rub her tummy or sing to the baby inside her. Natalya of course did not mind- and if it meant that Alyona could do something else besides complain for food, it would have been a definite no problem for her.

Shortly after a couple of more weeks, they found out it was going to be a little boy.

Though Ivan had been fond of girls, Natalya had been longing for a boy since she was a little girl. She even named one of her dolls at the age of eight the name of what she would give to if she ever had a baby boy, and took care of it like it was her own.

Even with a boy pregnancy, it had been the worst.

Natalya would go through severe cramps everyday. Usually ending up with her crying and saying that she can't take it anymore. Ivan would sit with her and hold her in his arms, rubbing her back and telling her everything would be okay once their little boy was here.

Soon enough, their little boy did come.

Natalya passed out in the kitchen when her water broke which led to Ivan bringing Alyona with them to the hospital. A nurse kept Alyona company and played dolls with her during the delivery of her new baby brother.

They named him Nikolai Braginski. Republic of Minsk.

Alyona at first thought her new baby brother was a gift from Santa Claus, which definitely made Natalya laugh. Ivan hadn't been too- happy. By just staring at the newborn in his wife's arms—

Little Nikolai got the curse of his papa's nose.

Natalya found her new son's nose incredibly cute. The most cutest thing she's ever seen. Ivan of course went out drinking when they returned home from the hospital, trying his best to understand that his only son had his nose.

Those next couple of years, Nikolai and Alyona had _incredibly _different personalities. Nikolai had been the mama's little boy, and Alyona had been daddy's little girl.

Nikolai would always be with Natalya twenty-four-seven—nonstop. Playing with her and getting a feed or two from her. He perhaps say- as a crybaby.

Nikolai would cry for his mother and not for his father when he wanted a hug, hurt himself, or had watched a movie about kittens. Every single time, Natalya would be next to him and listening him as he mumbled, "Mama, comfort me.." while Natalya chuckled and sang to him softly until his tears had faded.

As for Alyona, she had been with Ivan raiding candy shops and coming home to a mother who had been questioning where they were with Nikolai attached to her leg in demand for milk.

Soon enough, Alyona began kindergarten and loved it. Her mother and her had came up with a good luck charm to make Alyona always happy when she was at school.

"_Two sunflowers, two suns, two stems._"

Alyona would always chant it when she would walk to the bus stop with Natalya and her little brother while Ivan worked early in the morning.

Nikolai had been able to go to school after a couple of years. Though he was bullied by being a 'mama's boy'. He had asked his mother in tears if he could be home schooled.

Natalya did have a teaching license and academics degree. She nodded with a smile with the response of, "I'll teach you until you are…hm…seven years old, Nikolai, then I will send you back to private schooling with your systra."

She taught Nikolai various things. Chemistry, algebra, and Ivan would watch from a distance at his incredibly smart wife teaching their little boy everything he needed to know as Alyona came home with A's on almost everything she had.

Nikolai had been seven now, and Alyona was eleven.

Natalya sent Nikolai to private school- but when he arrived his teachers immediately recommended for him to skip a grade and go onto third grade.

Alyona had been in the sixth, so she figured this was good since she could teach her brother many things about school when he needed it. After all, she did treasure him since he _was_ a gift from Santa Claus to her logic.

The two children came home with incredibly good grades which caused Natalya to reward them with cookies and various sweets before Ivan could even get to them.

When Nikolai and Alyona were at school events that meant Ivan and Natalya had time to be alone. They would go out to clubs and bars, have some fun like normal adults would and come home before their children would.

One year passed, and soon enough, Alyona had been twelve and Nikolai had been eight.

They may have been smart, but they had been **very** devious, just like their own mama and papa. The two had planned something for their parents- to get them to have another baby.

Alyona brought up the plan and Nikolai knew how to deal with knives due to his mother. She had set up the plan and he did it. He snuck into his parents room while they were working and found his father's box of condoms; and without breaking the package, he slipped the blade into each wrapper and cut of a good piece of the tip of each condom.

Their plan, was in action.

Nikolai skipped out of the room with the tips of the condoms and disposed them in the toilet and flushing, remaining in his room for further instruction.

It had been Ivan and Natalya's wedding anniversary. They came home at around one AM in giggles but not drunk. In other words, horny. Ivan had been carrying Natalya bridal style up to their room; with occasional giggles coming from her mouth as he tossed her onto the bed and began to use his lips and hands to tease her thighs.

Nikolai had been peeking out the door to make sure it had been working. And what he had been seeing- definitely was.

The whole night had been giggling and soon enough mild moaning coming from their parents bedroom. Soon enough in the morning Natalya had came downstairs in her robe preparing breakfast for her children; with the biggest grin on her face which she hasn't had in a long time.

Three months passed in time; Nikolai and Alyona had been waiting for their mother to officially start with the morning sickness and such, but yet, nothing in response. They thought they had failed and needed to do it all over again—until one particular day.

Natalya had been feeling incredibly sick. She felt bigger, weird, and hell, she's gained around six pounds which was definitely not normal to her.

She had been laying on the couch with a bucket in hand; occasionally vomiting into a bucket in frustration and annoyance. Soon enough with this nausea, she called in the head building where a World meeting was planned to be held, calling in for her and her brother that they were not going to attend.

Once she had put the phone down.. She felt—hungry. Natalya got up from her spot and slowly made her way to the kitchen. Carrots and plums were the only things in her hands when she walked out of the kitchen, sitting on the couch and pleasurably eating them all.

As for Alyona, she had been watching her mother; giggling and peeking from the corner she had been hiding in when her mother had took another bite out of her raw carrot.

Nikolai stood beside his older sister and watched, "It worked.." He whispered in a low tone as he smiled widely.

"Da, I know..shh." Alyona covered her brother's mouth before skipping upstairs so their father wouldn't see them.

Ivan had returned home with bags in hand due to going grocery shopping. He got the call from Natalya that she wasn't feeling like herself and was about to explode. He had been extremely worried about her.. and soon enough, bought her two pregnancy tests.

After two kids, he learned to tell when his wife was possibly carrying his offspring. He could hear Natalya moaning in the other room each time a new round of vomiting began. Each time he had heard her he bit down on his lower lip, telling himself that she would be okay as he put the groceries away, as well as for his vodka and candy that he had hidden from the children.

Natalya had heard the giggling and turned around to see Nikolai, arching a brow in confusion as she dried her mouth with a towel and walked up to get herself a glass of water. She noticed Ivan and kissed him on the cheek as '_Privet_' before helping him with the groceries. Soon enough, her eyes ran across the small bag that contained the pregnancy tests.

"..What's this?" She questioned, digging her fingers into the bag and immediately froze when she had seen the small box that carried two pregnancy tests in it.

"It's a pregnancy test." Ivan spoke in a lowered tone as he walked up to her and gently caressed her cheek in concern.

"You're acting like if you're pregnant, Natya. I.. really think you should take this.. I'm really confused though.. we've been using protection, da? But you're having all of the symptoms if it were a pregnancy." He continued as he reached over for her hands and gently began to kiss her fingers, making sure he had gotten each one as she blushed.

"If we used protection then I can't be. Da, I might be close to my period.. or.." She paused for a moment with her tone slowly cracking.

"..I haven't had my period in three months.." She looked over at the carrot in her hand before chewing on it again as she listened the giggling from the other room increase.

"I'll take it.. Just in case I am." She looked down at Ivan with worry in her eyes as he nodded, kissing her temple in saying, _everything will be alright_, watching her walk off into the bathroom to take the pee-stick that would possibly answer her mood swigs.

Now, while she had been taking the test, there had been this little, fight, perhaps call it between Nikolai and Ivan.

The main reason, had been dating.

Ivan had occasionally caught Nikolai those last three months- _playing_ around in his room. That last month, Natalya had found a pornography magazine under his bed and punished him by taking away his video games. As for Ivan, he'd catch his **eight**** year old **son messing around with his own, _member_.

So technically with Ivan and Nikolai, Ivan had been teasing his own son to having a rather interesting- _relationship_ towards his right hand. Nikolai personally doesn't find it funny at all. But with no knowledge that his father's been watching him screwing around—he figured soon enough.

Ivan strolled over to Nikolai, who had been giggling this entire time and waiting at a corner while his mother had been taking the pregnancy test, and ruffled his hand before speaking, "What's so funny? Your girlfriend tell you a joke?" He grinned which obviously caused Nikolai to blush with Alyona skipping back downstairs with a couple of cookies in her mouth. She looked over at the scene with her brother and father; tilting her head in utter confusion.

Ivan reached into his pocket to take out a bottle, listening to Nikolai's small, "Whatever" when he had walked off to go check Natalya.. now, he had been suspicious. They had been using protection-! Unless..

He made his way upstairs; arms crossed as he searched through his condom drawer. He blinked at first at the sight of the first condom—noticing the small hole.

He began to rip through all of the packets to see almost all of them with a giant hole wide open at the tip. Ivan sighed, wondering if Natalya did this? Did she take advantage of him to have another baby?

Ivan walked downstairs to the restroom where his wife had been, staring at the results of the test in minor shock until he spoke, "..Natya?"

Meanwhile, Alyona had been eating her cookies with pleasure and decided to have a little bit of fun teasing her little brother. Loving how cute he looked when he blushed, soon enough with Nikolai coming back with a rather pissed tone, "Shut up you loser! At least I don't make out with a poster of some dead singer!"

Alyona giggled as she waved her hand around in enjoyment, "Ooh~ I'm a loser now? At least I like someone, and not just some silly right hand~"

Nikolai had been a crybaby, and was always one. Even at the age of eight he couldn't take things so easily. And by that, the brims of his eye lids began to carry hot tears that soon enough began to rush down his face, "D-Dating is unique!" He shouted with a loud cry.

Alyona realized what she had done and thought for a moment, hating to see him cry; she watched him look around for his mother to comfort him—soon along beginning to tickle him with a small smile, "Da, alright. Dating is unique."

Nikolai sniffed with his eyes widening and his tears immediately stopping.. Only short giggles were released into the air. He began to swat his sister's hands away due to wanting to look strong like Ivan and not just some ticklish boy. He began to laugh when Alyona whispered, "Tickle tickle~!", starting to cough when his mother had came out of the bathroom in annoyance, obviously hearing the scream.

He knew his mother didn't take screaming that well and his face paled, as well as for Alyona's as they both fell silent, staring at their mother whose face had been pale, and in hand, carrying two positive pregnancy tests.

She stared at the two in utter annoyance; only to let a sigh escape her lips as she looked up at Ivan tiredly, "Da?" she asked.

Ivan began to explain to her about all of his condoms having holes in them, including the one they used on their anniversary. She stared blankly at him when he had asked if she had put the holes in the condoms. She immediately shook her head as she took the condoms from his hands and examined them, "..It was used with a knife.." She had been silent for a moment before slowly turning her head over to her two children, arching a brow.

"Nyet, I didn't cut them, Vanya—unless..—" Ivan interrupted her sentence to walk over to Alyona and Nikolai, mainly staring at Alyona to figure that she was the one who possibly planned this.

"Alyona, baby girl.." He stared at his daughter right in the eye. Ivan in truth knew better since he usually pulled the same face with Natalya when she had been lying to him. After a minute he leaned in, not towering her but speaking in a low tone, "Looking so innocent like papa, hm?"

Ivan took out his wallet; taking out a hundred rubles, and set it on his head. He stood up with Natalya giving him an interesting look, listening to him as he spoke and crossed his arms. Ivan knew one of his kids did this, and the one who confessed—he wouldn't give the hundred anyway, "Who wants to tell papa what happened with his _rubbers_?"

Alyona stood there with her eyes widened. Anything for money—she'd do it. Nikolai stared at her as she began to fall for the trick, reaching over to cover her mouth before she spoke and tried to reach for the hundred— "Okay-! I paid Nikolai to put holes in papa's condoms so we could have a little brother or sister." She confessed, trying to reach for the hundred since there was a new dress she wanted, and hell, just a hundred was enough for it.

Even more minor shock came to Natalya—that her own children would do this to her? She held onto her mouth and immediately dashed back into the restroom where she released her disgust into the toilet, moaning deeply as Ivan stood up and smiled, "Ahh.. I see."

He put the money back into his wallet and grinned, "As for your punishment, you _both_ have each now contributed fifty rubles of your allowance to what the new little baby will cost. _And_, you are going to give me a quarter of your allowance every week for papa's condom drawer." Due to what Ivan said, it took his children's allowance by working around the house about down to sixty rubles per week—since he was rather extravagant with spoiling them when he heard Nikolai complain.

"But—you have money! It's not our child; it's yours papa!" Nikolai whined as Ivan chuckled, rubbing his temple.

"Well I wasn't the one who slipped a blade into the package and ripped every condom, Nikolai." Ivan snapped at his son; Natalya coming out of the bathroom with a towel covering her mouth to hold in anymore vomit that came up. She looked over at Alyona when she had walked over to Nikolai, putting a shoulder over him and smiling.

"We gotta help," Alyona spoke in a low tone so their father nor mother could hear, "..We caused her to get pregnant, so we have to help."

And they did. Since that day on, Nikolai and Alyona would non-stop be helping their mother with food, chores, everything. Even still, they had to give up some of their allowance to Ivan each week. Though they didn't like it, they were still excited to know that they have a little siblings on the way—

Until one particular day came.

Natalya had just came home from one of her appointments. She had been around ten weeks with a bump that showed that she was probably around eighteen weeks—though it had been ten. She held onto her forehead as she pressed her back against the flat surface of the door with her minor shock returning again. She remained silent, rubbing her throat to calm down.

Ivan had been in the kitchen as usual, playing a snack game with Alyona. First one to finish ten cookies in five minutes wins fifty rubles. And the money they were taking it from had been from no other than Natalya since she had been completely clueless due to her pregnancy.

The door had shut and Ivan immediately walked in to greet his wife—noticing the disturbed image on her face, "Natalya, are you okay? Why do you look so shocked?"

Natalya remained to stand there in utter shock. It was impossible.. she couldn't be carrying—there was no relation to it how it could have been possible! Even in their family heritage, there was no relation to, "..Twins.. two babies.. inside of me.. fraternal t-twins.."

The Russian blinked at her with his usual smile turning into a concerned frown. Twins? Now he knew why she had been so shocked. He walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her, looking for a sign of showing that she was joking or something.

There wasn't. Her face had been pale and she had been breathing much more than she usually did. Her eyes were dilated and there had been a heavy amount of hesitation in her tone, "Twins.. fraternal.. you mean.. not just one baby.. but two?" He looked down at the bump on her stomach and put his hands on top of the hardened piece of her body, knowing that there were two of his off-springs in there; not just one—but two.

"Alyona, Nikolai! You're only getting fifty rubles per week—it's twins!" He called out as Alyona peeked her head from the kitchen with a cupcake in her mouth. She tilted her head with her eyes widening at the realization. Just because of her devious plan—she caused her father to knock her mother up with two babies.. not just one, but two.

Ever since the news was announced about the twins, Ivan took breaks off of his job. Two times a week and including the weekends just to take care of his wife that had been bearing with not just one, but _two_ babies.

He would always get her everything she needed. Natalya would occasionally have cramps due to baby B flipping in her stomach, becoming breech at random points. There would have been a lot of movement which she did not enjoy.

Ivan would give her a massage almost everyday when she had been having pain, but would laugh at her stomach when the twins had gotten the hiccups.

When Natalya was around twenty weeks she went off for an ultrasound while Ivan stayed home and watched over Alyona and Nikolai in case they did anything stupid.

She came back to the house with the results of what they were having.

Baby A had been a boy. Baby B had been a girl.

Ivan had been so excited to bring another little girl and boy into this world. He would match them in everything- even though they were fraternal and they weren't going to look like- he wanted them to have similar names and similar clothing—be the best of friends.

Natalya had gone into labour twenty weeks later. It had been the most- unbearable thing she could experience. She had been screaming to the top of her lungs and crying each second.

She had been in labour for about four hours after her water broke. Ivan rushed her to the hospital and brought her in to where they determined from where she was at to let her have a vaginal delivery.

Even with drugs, she couldn't stand it. She continued to scream and cry when Ivan had tried to calm her down, singing to her which somewhat helped for a couple of minutes to reduce her screaming. She only had been sniffing and whimpering when he had sang to her, holding onto his hand with a deadly , tight grip with tears flowing down her cheeks.

After all that long screaming, and pushing for about an hour, she passed out from the pain.

She soon awoke to the most cutest twins she has ever seen;

Aleksandr Braginski; Republic of St. Petersburg, and Anastasiya Braginski; Republic of Slucak.

The names had been chosen by her since she knew Ivan wanted the twins to have somewhat similar names. She had loved them that instant minute she got to hold the both of them at the same time.

It was time for the annual nose test. When Ivan had been able to hold Aleksandr first, his eyes immediately located to his nose where he saw nothing. Just a similar one to Natalya's as the newborn nipped for his mother's breast.

When Anastasiya had been handed to him, his face immediately paled to the sight that his new little girl had gotten his curse. She too had been nipping, but caused Ivan to forget about the thought of the nose when she had opened her eyes to reveal deep, dark violet eyes.

It had been the most beautiful thing he's ever seen; and certainly a distraction to her nose.

The twins were considered a blessing; Alyona and Nikolai definitely fell in love with them. Throughout time, it felt like it only took months before these twins where talking and giggling.

Alyona had been fifteen, Nikolai had been eleven, and the twins had been three years old.

Anastasiya was one of the young ones who always wanted attention. For example, when Natalya had been making lunch for Alyona and Nikolai for school, usually she'd start tantrums about not getting a lunch for later.

She would cry when she's alone in her cot after a afternoon nap, in a room all by herself, although Natalya's sitting right beside her, telling her that she was there the whole time watching.

She has a little doll with the name of 'Baba'. Ivan had been an incredible sewer and made his little girl the doll, as for Aleksandr the plush of a dog which he adores very much.

Anastasiya would always have the doll in hand. She would never give it up at all to anyone. What questions Natalya the most is, _why_, does her daughter call her name, 'Granny'?

Anastasiya occasionally sees a young woman when she talks to the doll. A young one, who looks so much like her mother. Long blonde hair, and radiant, dark purple eyes. She's short, and really small for her size. The woman is around her mid-twenties and would always talk to Anastasiya about Natalya and Ivan.

This woman's name was _Klavdiya Arlovskaya._

The last name had been the same as her mother's. Natalya hadn't changed her maiden name, but only added 'Braginski' to the end of it so she had been part of the family. She loved her mother's last name, and even though her father had been a bastard, she thought that he had chosen the most perfect last name for her.

Anastasiya would always ask the doll why she had the same last name as her mama; but the doll would only respond to her in a sweet tone—in dreams, stroking the little girl's hair and sitting close to a fire, singing, "Because I'm your _babushka_, beautiful girl."

The secret to how the doll had her Grandmother's spirit was never told to anyone else. Natalya would still question why Anastasiya calls the doll Granny, but Anastasiya would answer that the doll looks like her Grandmother from the pictures of her in the closet.

Aleksandr had been somewhat similar to Anastasiya. Seeing spirits; though it hadn't been through a doll. It had been by thoughts, and dreams.

"..Though I thought your mother was someone who should have never existed," The voice would speak to him, "I hadn't thought about how successful she would be later in life; carrying on _my_ Grandchildren and working at the same time."

Aleksandr would always start crying in the middle of the night in fear of who the voice had been. Natalya would hold onto Aleksandr and rock him back and forth to calm him; singing to him and telling him nothing was wrong.

"_Kak uzor na ogne, snova proshloe rjadom. Kto-to pel pesnju mne, zinmij vecher kogda-to. Slovno v proshlom ozhilo, chi'ix- to berezhinix ruk teplo. Valsy iziskonnyx gostej, I veg lexix konej, _[Like a pattern on a window, the past is near again. Someone sang a song to me, one winter night sometime. As if coming alive in the past, the warmth of someone's gentle arms. The waltz of exquisite guests, and brave horses running.]" Natalya would sing to him in a low tone with a small smile, which always calmed him and slowly began to make him drift back to sleep. She had been a beautiful singer; at least that's what Ivan had thought when she had sang to their children when they had been upset.

Ivan had been watching from a corner as his young, sister, wife, hold onto the toddler in her arms and rock him back and forth in comfort. He closed his eyes, recognizing the voice before humming along,

"_Val's kruzhil I njos menja, slovno v skazku svoju manja. Pervyj bal I pervyj val's, svuchat vo mne sejchas. Svuchat vo mne sejchas, zerkala v jantare, moj vostorg otrazhajut. Kto-to pel na zore, dom rodnoj pokidaja….Budesh' ty v dekabre, _[The waltz spun and carried me, as if beckoning in its tale. The first ball and the first waltz, resound in me right now. Mirrors in amber, reflect my delight. Someone sang at dawnbreak, leaving her cherished home. You will be, in December,]" She kissed him on the top of his head and gently placed him in his cot, to where the voice of _Fedyenka _would be waiting to calm to him in his dreams once more.

"_Vnov' so mnoj, dorogaja._ [Again with me, my darling.]"

Aleksandr slept through that night peacefully. Their lives remained normal; occasional fights which Natalya would always have to result in yelling and ending it with at least one of her children crying.

The talk about ghosts and spirits continued to come from the twins. It was quite odd for them, which worried Natalya deeply. Natalya previously used to make contact with American ghosts, and would talk to them about her fears and how upset she was when she was younger; when Ivan would avoid her and she would be alone. She considered American ghosts being her only friends—soon enough, requiring Katyusha to send her to a therapist. Natalya was put on medication, and still is after she had been with Ivan for all of these years and gave birth to four of his off-springs—she's been better ever since.

But the mentioning of ghosts continued to worry her. She began to think that her young babies would have to go through a series of medication just like she did. Ivan came in soon enough and comforted Natalya who had been in fear about it, telling her that usually toddlers have imaginative minds, "They're only babies, Natya. Soon enough, they'll forget about these- ghosts and grow up. It's called imaginary friends. I remember you having a lot of them as well when you were younger, as well as for me. Don't worry, my love."

Though, it hadn't stopped. She would have to continue to get up early in the morning and comfort Aleksandr until he had stopped crying. They didn't take him to a doctor, but just let it slide on his own.

Aleksandr had once came up to Natalya and tugged on the length of her dress in question, "Mama, who's _Fedyenka_?"

She immediately froze in response at the name of her father's. Looking down at the little boy; his chubby toddler legs he stood on causing him to trip and hold onto her dress much more… she ignored what she had been cooking for supper that night and picked him up, immediately answering, "Nyet one you should care about."

Just besides the talk of ghosts, there had been a lot of problems with sharing. Anastasiya didn't like to share food with Aleksandr; and Aleksandr didn't like to share his colouring books nor crayons with Anastasiya. Chaos, and fist fights usually began—with Natalya being the one to stop them and sit down with each toddler and discuss how you don't hit your sibling no matter what.

"I do share, but you can't share things you eat, mama," Anastasiya said this as if it were a matter of factly. Thinking that she had been the right one and Aleksandr had been the wrong one. Aleksandr currently, had just went down for his nap after Natalya had the long conversation with him—Anya's turn now.

"Alessi can have all of the cookies, I don't even want to defend them anymore, you took Baba from me." Anastasiya sniffed as she held the little girl plush in her arms. Natalya knelt there on the ground in frustration mainly. The fight had mainly began after her older sister had stopped by and dropped off some cookies for Alyona, Nikolai, and the twins. Three cookies each, but there had been one left. Alyona, and the twins mainly fought over the treat as Nikolai skipped upstairs due to not wanting to go through one of his mother's long talks.

Alyona had taken it well her time when it was talking time, but went upstairs to her father's candy stash and made sure she had gotten some of it so she could suit herself for the rest of the afternoon. After all, she was a devious little eater that had an obsession with snacks just like her papa.

"..why did you take Baba..?" Anastasiya whimpered as she looked at her mother with her light, violet eyes. Her 'Baba' was more important than the cookie to her. In truth, Anastasiya didn't quite grasp the lesson of sharing that her mother had been trying to explain to her. Of course to get her to stop crying from earlier, Natalya let Anya play with her wedding ring to calm her—usually it did, which made Natalya wonder why the hell her twins love her wedding ring.

"Anya.. mama is really, really, really sorry that she took away your Baba.. Is there anything I can do for you to forgive me? Or do you not love mama anymore?" She frowned in a fake manner since usually when she had said that—mainly around Nikolai—he or usually the twins would immediately start crying of how much they do love their mama. Natalya watched her daughter play with the wedding ring, putting it on her own finger out of curiosity which was rather cute.

"You know.. mama has a sister and mama didn't like to share at all when she was younger. For example, you know that blanket Alyona sleeps with all the time? That was mama's blanket before and she never shared it with anyone—just like you don't want anyone to touch your Baba." She admitted—thinking about something that she knew she would eventually tell with Ivan. One day, she'd have to tell them that Ivan was her biological brother, but for now, she just said the truth about having an older sister.

"Nyet mama—I still love you!" Anastasiya became very quiet for a little girl in the middle of a break down in tears; but she looked up at her mother with her eyes just a bit darkened from being upset. She soon enough pushed her small face into her mother's chest, sniffing deeply. Baba was to her more than just a doll; but a friend. An old woman who she would talk to when she felt alone—listening to her stories about what she knew about her parents. Without the doll, she felt like she didn't know where her Baba was.

Natalya soon enough embraced her into a tight hug, kissing her cheeks which caused Anastasiya to squire in her mother's lap to get down and run to the door.. It had been snowing. Anastasiya certainly did love the snow—even after sad conversations like these, she wanted to go outside and play. The first reaction to this had been that the both of her eyes were glaring at her coat as if it were the only thing that would keep her alive for now.

"Anya.. It's too cold to go outside. If you're how, I can always get a fan or open the window. I don't want any sick girls in my house," She began, mainly thinking about dinner and how Alyona would get annoyed if she didn't have her supper as well as for Ivan.

"_Baba_ says I can.. _Baba_ says it isn't too cold.. my heart is big enough, mama.. I want to go on a walk with you and _Baba_.." Anastasiya reached over and began to tug on the length of her mother's dress, then her hand, then her hair…

"Pwease.. mama I just wanna me in the snow.. I like the snow. I promise I won't get a cold.." She soon put her Baba into the pocket of her dress, reaching her arms up to be picked up by her mother.

"Anastasiya, I'm going to ask you again. Why do you keep calling your doll, _Grannie_?" Natalya sighed, looking out the window in thought. She figured she could make Alyona watch Aleksandr and Nikolai while they go on a walk.

"Alright, Anya. Only for ten minutes since I don't want to get sick." Natalya picked up the three year old and held her in her arms, taking her over to the door and putting on her coat, scarf, and boots. As for her, just a coat and boots before heading out into the blizzard with her grip on Anastasiya firm as she spoke in a serious tone, "Don't run away from me and I'll put you down—and don't eat the snow for my sake, Anya."

After a while of carrying her, Natalya did put her down but still had a good grip on her hand. She let Anastasiya lead the way to where she wanted to go. And Anastasiya did have a place she wanted to go. She lead her mother through the blizzard to her _secret place_ that she had discovered with Aleksandr a long time ago.

Arriving at the place, it had been marked with one of her 'missing' mittens, which definitely had caught Natalya's attention, "You've been missing that scarf for months.. Anastasiya, you kept it here?" Anya nodded as she walked up to the small tree with the mitten tied in a bow, thanks to the help of her Baba, taking it down and retying it.

The place had been full of flowers that had been buried underneath the snow, as well as arches though it seemed like her Baba was only able to make the arches appear. Anastasiya pulled her mother down onto the ground after a while and sat on the snow in her lap, giggling as she reached over for some snow; about to put it into her mouth—which Natalya stopping her and taking her hand, "Anastasiya Braginski, what did I tell you about eating the snow? I did mean that I would take you home if you did."

"Sorry, mama." Anya giggled. Natalya sighed deeply and rested her back against the trunk of a tree that had been close to them, watching as the blizzard continued. She sniffed, feeling her nose begin to stuff just a bit but then paused.. the place oddly enough—looked familiar.

Her mother's grave was here, right? It had to be it—but why this place? Natalya looked down at Anya in her arms before getting up, carrying her in silence.

"Mama that tickles!" Anya giggled and squirmed in her mother's arms in laughter by the snow hitting her face, but after a while stopping and reaching into the pocket of her dress that had been inside her coat. She hadn't realized how much the doll resembled her mother. Dark blue eyes, and dark blonde hair. Her mama's hair had been a little bit lighter; similar to like her papa's but had the same exact eyes as the doll.

She dropped the doll once she noticed the grave. Where had her mama taken her? "Mama, what's that thingy?"

Natalya remained in silence in curiosity, surprised that a place.. like this—her daughter would find and usually play in. She closed her eyes in thought before speaking, "Anastasiya.. I know you are very smart and mature for your age, but where did you find this place?" It had been silence at first before Anya did speak,

"..I..—Baba told me about here." Anastasiya had admitted in a low tone; quiet enough to seem as if it were a whisper.

Klavdiya Arlovskaya 1883-1916

Natalya stared at the grave with another sigh, holding onto the curious girl in her arms who had been eyeing the grave. She hadn't spoke at all, but put Anastasiya down. Natalya knelt so that she had been at the same height as her daughter as she continued to stare at the grave, speaking in a low tone, "..Privet, mama."

Anastasiya stared blankly at her mama for a moment, thinking she had been referring to herself- but she wasn't. It seemed like—she had been talking to the grave, "..I miss you a lot. Even though I only see you through pictures, I still miss you." She had been right. Her mother was talking to the grave.. but who was in it?

Looking down at her Baba, she listened to a small voice in her head that told her to comfort her mama. Anastasiya blinked and listened to Baba's voice, beginning to rub her mother's back which caused Natalya to sigh and get up, taking Anastasiya in her arms and heading back, "It's getting colder and colder, da? We need to get home before your papa does."

Anastasiya stared at her mama for a moment and looked down at her Baba who had been smiling in a way. She blinked and nodded at the mentioning of going home; resting her head against her mother's chest as she was carried, "Mama.. Baba says she loves you.. and she says she's proud of you and papa.." Anya hid her little lips when she had spoke into her mother's chest, slowly beginning to relax when her mother had stared at her blankly in her arms in confusion.

"Da.. the cold is getting to you.. I better hurry.." Natalya sped up her pace a little bit more and slowed down when they had been closer to the house. In truth, Anastasiya didn't always see or hear her Babushka [Grandmother], which only showed one of the reasons why she would go looking around for her mama or papa since she would be scared.

When they had been inside, Natalya chuckled, "That snow was crazy, hm? I better start supper to warm you up baby girl," Anastasiya shook her head as she looked down, panting softly.

"Something wrong?" Natalya asked once again; removing her own coat and boots before working on unzipping her daughter's coat and hanging it up; yelling upstairs for Alyona to come downstairs and start cutting up some potatoes for supper.

Anastasiya stood there and let her mother deal with her winter clothing, sniffling and trying to think of a way of explaining it better. Thinking.. she gave up after the first ten seconds because her thoughts had been focused on food. Reaching up, Anastasiya began to brush her mother's hair with her fingers since she had thought that Natalya's hair had been really beautiful. Soon enough, reaching her arms up to be picked up as she spoke, "Baba says you won't yell at me.."

"Oh? Mad at what?" Natalya asked, bringing the little girl into the kitchen and settling her down near some blocks to play with as Alyona skipped down into the kitchen, beginning to cut up a couple of potatoes and put them to the side to her mother could peel them.

"Baba says that there is no one better than my papa to take care of you she says.. Baba says Dada [Grandpapa] didn't mean it.. Baba says that he really loved you.. but.. he..—he wasn't himself after she had to go.. I wonder where Baba is from.." Anastasiya admitted as she looked down at the blocks, beginning to stack them high and watching them fall which caused her to giggle. She had been very innocent, but as a three year old saying these words, she had no idea what power her message had.

Alyona had the most blank expression on her face when she had listened to her baby sister; as well as for Natalya. The two stared at the toddler who had been stacking blocks and breaking them down. It had been mostly a lot of confusion for Natalya, but she reached over to the fridge and took out a bottle of her milk that she had pumped earlier, quickly warming it up and handed it to the little girl, "Alright, it's nap time for you."

Ever since that day, Natalya had told Ivan about the situation of Anastasiya acting like this. Acting like as if she were predicting the future..

Time was going by fast but she hadn't been realizing it. Her eldest was turning sixteen, other fourteen and the twins were turning four soon.. Was she getting old? Usually she took these thoughts to Ivan once again, occasionally breaking down at the realization of how she didn't want them to grow up. It was a turn of happiness into an 'Happily Ever After' that she never wanted to come.

But instead, Ivan kissed Natalya's cheek and smiled, only saying one phrase to her that had been the same thing Katyusha would say each time they went to bed and thought about the future,

"_The more you grow up, the mature you get._"

_Even in this tiny hand, there could someday be strength surpassing our own._

_From the day I cried beneath the ripe grapes, I started to walk even if my hand is small, even if we're separated, we'll walk this road. And on the day that will someday come, we'll store away our best memories._

_The seasons change; already the cold wind, wraps around us and sleeps inside the song of that spring._

_Even in this tiny hand, there could someday be strength surpassing our own, those wet cheeks reflected a number of smiles._

_Even if my hand is small, even if we're separated, we'll walk this road, and on the new day we too stored away our memories._

_Even this tiny hand will one day pass by us, and on the new day, a new season began._

"Natalya.." Ivan began as he looked to his side, staring down at the beautiful woman who hadn't aged at all. She looked up at her husband with her head tilting to the side slightly in confusion; resting a hand on her abdomen where the life of a new city had been growing inside of her womb.

"Da, Vanya?" She asked, blinking in utter confusion with a smile. She rested her head against one of the pillows that had been under her neck; a doctor on the end of the hospital bed with a needle that had been about to break her water, as well as for lazy children sleeping outside the hospital room in exhaustion. As Ivan spoke again, he pleasurably held onto his sister's hand when she had winced softly to the feeling of pain inside of her growing.

"_Do you remember the sad things that have happened before today, or.. have we both forgotten them ever since the day I killed __**him, **__systra_?"


	2. Author's Note Please read

First of all, I'd like to thank all of you reading this fanfiction.

It took around three weeks for me to write; due to being a lazy arse and having a job to be attending to.

This story is based off a roleplay with my husband/Ivan/Russia. The beatings which Natalya and Ivan had to go through as a child- it was a roleplay. Them having a children, was a roleplay. Everything in it was based off of a beautiful roleplay.

Though, as for their children, we actually have two people who roleplay as Alyona [Moscow] and Nikolai [Minsk]. Occasionally we make mere jokes because those two are cutie pies, and we have some artwork done for the both of them.

As for the twins, my husband/Ivan roleplays as Anastasiya, and the admin who roleplays Alyona roleplays as Aleksandr.

The ending there was just something I came up from the top of my head, because why not?

Basically, here are the character descriptions of the kids:

Alyona Syn Braginski [Moscow]: Daddy's little girl, and named by a long time name Ivan's been dying to use if he ever had a little girl since the age of six. When she doesn't get food, expect for a tantrum. Alyona has no nickname, but she is referred as "Alona". If she doesn't be with her daddy, expect her to be crying for hours until Ivan's home. She's a sweetie pie and innocent in a way, but if you screw around with her younger siblings it's like war to her. She has blonde hair like her mother, deep dark violet eyes and has knockers just like her aunt does; though Natalya always makes her wear a sports bra just in case her father's around. She has an obsession with strawberry cake and a band called "Na Na" [Which is actually a real music group] with various crushes to each band member. This, Nikolai, her younger brother takes advantage to tease her with. She's not a smarty like her mother, but likes to slack on things like her father and go out with Ivan to screw around and steal sweets from various candy stores.

Nikolai Braginski [Minsk]: Mama's little boy. He's always clinging to Natalya no matter what, in tears for rather pointless things. For example, he's lost his action figure. Nikolai has no nickname, but his name is referred to "Nicholas". He's not that big of an eater and easily gets terrified of blood or guns. Usually when the family goes out gun shooting once in a while he'd stay in the car with his mother, chanting, "comfort me" in a sobbing tone each time. He developed this type of personality from no other than Katyusha, his aunt, due to being babysat by her almost every day since he was a toddler due to Natalya and Ivan always working and Alyona being left at daycare. He has blonde hair just like Ivan's, dark blue eyes and is rather short for his age (Which he gets teased a lot about) but has a big heart and always likes to be with his older sister (Not to mention he has a crush on her *COUGH*).

Anastasiya Braginski [Slucak]: You say something bad about her "Baba", expect some real good tantrums. She's the tantrum lady of the house. Always clinging to her mother's leg in wanting to play and running around. She has an obsession to snow and usually rolls around in it when Natalya isn't looking. She loves to tease her older sister but is somewhat the second daddy's little girl. She loves her father's voice when he sings to her to sleep, and loves her mother's breast milk- even at the age of three she still loves it-Natalya's been working on getting her on formula, but it hasn't been working at all. Anastasiya has the nickname of "Anya" and her name is referred to "Anastasia". Her best friend is a doll named "Baba"; a doll her father had made when she was around two months old. Ever since, she's been talking to it as if it were real.. Though she could see a spirit with the doll. That spirit, is her Grandmother that passed away giving birth to Natalya. She despises being alone. Even when she's in her cot sleeping, there always has to be someone watching her. When she wakes up from a nap she cries in wanting to get out, though Natalya or Ivan is two feet away from her, telling her to calm down. She called Aleksandr (Her fraternal twin brother) "Alessi" for his nickname. She has short, light blonde hair with small curls and incredibly light violet eyes. She loves candy and loves to do ballet; also her mother's hair- due to thinking it's the most gorgeous thing she's ever seen. Mostly she plays with her mother's hair anyway, wishing that she had long hair like her mama's but she's got shoulder length hair, which makes her deeply upset.

Aleksandr Braginski [St. Petersburg]: He's the daydreamer. Oh, when will he get that nap.. or when will he get that toy.. when will Christmas come? Ivan wanted the twins to be matching 24/7. Same clothes, and that came with a similar name. Aleksandr is referred to "Alexander", and is nicknamed by, "Alek". By Anastasiya, "Alessi". He usually naps all day and loves playing around his parents cats, Vodka and Sunflower [Who have little kittens of their own]. He has the ability to talk to ghosts.. especially his Grandfather. He's able to talk to his Grandfather by usually dreams, and he would wake up screaming and crying in fear; causing Natalya to rush over and sing "Once Upon a December" from the movie, Anastasiya [People, pls, I did put that song into the fanfic k] to calm him down and hush him back to sleep. He has blonde hair and extremely light blue eyes. Crystals, perhaps say. His hair is a dirty blonde, similar to Alyona's and he's a little bit on the chubby side. Though, he looks practically like a baby as a toddler. He's forced to do ballet with his twin sister, and has an interest in acrobatics like his mother did when she was younger. He's a sweet boy, but really needs to start looking up at his older sister as a rolemodel and not Nikolai, since Nikolai teaches the ways of how "Call of Duty" is the way of taking out your anger than bringing it to your parents.

What else to mention-Oh yes!

I did add the lyrics to "Once Upon a December" from the movie, Anastasia; but in Russian. Like I said, this is based from a roleplay, and my roleplaying family sees "Once Upon a December" a beautiful song that fits with that family- one of the reasons why I put it as the title than to, "Once upon a time".

Basically what we've done with the parents is that we made "General Winter" as their father; an abusive one who couldn't get over his dead wife. By his sadness, he mostly took it out by beating his youngest, as well as drinking away his sorrows.

Their mother passed away when she had given birth to Natalya due to her womb breaking. Her last name had been "Arlovskaya", but by General Winter he changed Natalya's last name from "Braginski" into "Arlovskaya" to carry on the shame of somewhat 'killing' their mother-?

Just a correction, I know that in canon Russia's last name is seen as "Braginsk**y**", so if someone brings up that kind of shit I swear to god I'm going to break something.

As for the last names of the feminine characters, Anastasiya and Alyona, their last names "Braginski". It's supposed to be seen as "Braginskaya", but this is a _**mother fucking**_ fanfic for God's sake, don't make a big deal out of it.

So lets just get this straight:

1.) I will not be changing it to "Braginsky" because it really doesn't matter in perspective. Nor will I be changing the last names to "Braginskaya". My apologies, but if you don't like it, just don't real the God damn fanfic.

2.) **THIS IS BASED OFF OF A ROLEPLAY. THIS IS NOT CANON AND I DON'T EXPECT FOR IT TO EVER**** BE.**

Alright? Good, good.

Alyona Syn Braginski, Nikolai Braginski, Anastasiya and Aleksandr Braginski (c) Me/LittlestRoxas

Natalya Arlovskaya/Ivan Braginski/Katyusha Braginskaya/Matthew Williams (c) Hidekaz Himaruya

"Once Upon a Winter"/Anastasia (c) Original owner.

So I guess that's it. Please give back positive reviews and I'll hopefully get some new stories up soon! Thank you all! :)

~Natalya A.


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